NCJ Number
178803
Journal
American Jails Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: July/August 1999 Pages: 21-24
Date Published
August 1999
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The death toll from chronic hepatitis C (HCV) is expected to triple in the United States during the next 10 to 20 years, and inmates are about 20 times as likely as average citizens to have the disease, which spreads primarily through shared drug needles.
Abstract
Intravenous drug abuse accounts for 60 percent of new HCV cases, and statistics worldwide show up to two-thirds of inmates have a history of intravenous drug abuse. Further, HCV is the most common, chronic blood-borne infection in the United States, with an estimated 4 million Americans infected. Blood-borne pathogens represent a threat not only to those infected but also to those who work with them. The recapping of needles is a particular problem in prisons and jails where correctional health care workers often replace the protective cap on the needle as an interim safety measure until the container is unlocked. As a result, more correctional health care workers are reporting exposure to patient blood than their counterparts in non-correctional health care settings. Researchers recommend that prison administrators adopt a zero tolerance policy for safety lapses and that prisons acquire safer needles to reduce needle stick injuries. Treatment for HCV and efforts to create a vaccine are discussed, and specific recommendations are offered to help corrections and law enforcement professionals deal with HCV effectively. 9 references